Had a very engaging and meaningful interaction with StartUps and innovation companies working on environmental solutions, especially air pollution control and mitigation. The companies presented their solutions to air pollution control challenges and we deliberated on ways to engage further on the proposed solutions. The areas covered by the companies include: 🌱 Industrial emissions monitoring and enforcement: Develop tamper-proof OCEMS and AI detection of data drift/manipulation; monitor APCDs, detect bypass or malfunction, and link APCD operation with furnace/boiler controls. Integrate CAQMS, OCEMS and plant-operation data to flag potential violations. 🌱 Dust control at construction sites and roads: Use of AI cameras to detect C&D-site dust and activate suppression equipment; develop movable dust-containment and filtration systems. Promote low-cost mechanised road sweepers and tools to identify road-dust resuspension hotspots. 🌱 City-wide air-quality mapping and source attribution: Map air quality in near real time, including unmonitored areas; locate hotspots and estimate contributions from vehicles, road dust, construction, industries and biomass burning using monitoring, satellite and meteorological data. 🌱 Cleaner vehicles and smoother traffic: Develop tamper-proof PUC testing that verifies genuine exhaust sampling; use ANPR and linked databases to identify vehicles without valid PUCCs and over-aged vehicles. Apply AI to predict congestion and improve traffic flow, reducing idling and emissions. 🌱 Stubble/open-burning detection and utilisation: Enable 24×7 detection and geolocation of paddy-stubble and other open biomass-burning incidents, with alerts and response tracking. Optimise straw collection, transport and matching with bioenergy, biomass-fuel, composting and other utilisation facilities. 🌱 Cleaner industrial operations and DG sets: Provide affordable systems to monitor combustion efficiency and fuel use in small industries. Improve DG-set emissions control through smart RECDs that detect choking, malfunction, bypass, removal or tampering. 🌱 Recycling construction and demolition waste: Create digital platforms to certify, match and track recycled C&D products against construction-sector demand, improving transparency and utilisation. 🌱 Faster, efficient road maintenance: Developing portable, cost-effective pothole-repair machines for rapid, durable repairs with less manpower and reduced traffic disruption. 🔗 pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.…

India’s Ramsar site tally reaches 103 🇮🇳🌿 India continues to strengthen its commitment to wetland conservation, with Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh becoming the latest additions to the list of Ramsar Sites. This milestone highlights the importance PM Shri @narendramodi ji’s government has been laying on wetlands in conserving biodiversity, enhancing water and climate security, and sustaining local livelihoods. These additions reaffirm India’s ongoing efforts to conserve its rich wetland ecosystems and strengthen the ecological, climatic and livelihood benefits they provide. 🌏💧 I congratulate Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh for this feat. Dear travellers, do visit Sukhna and Sauj next time you have a couple days at hand. #AmritDharohar

Chaired the 27th Meeting of GB Pant Society of Himalayan Environment and Development in Delhi today. Emphasised on the importance of access and benefit-sharing rights and People’s Biodiversity Register as a means to improve the livelihood of native villagers in the Himalyan ecosystem and also for its greater good. Under the leadership of Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji, there has been a concerted focus on the policy framework which focuses on balancing ecological security with sustainable socio-economic growth in the Indian Himalayan region by 2047. Released four publications which add to the knowledge repository of the work done by the institute. 1. Biodiversity and its Conservation practices for Bhagirathi Eco-sensitive Zone 2. Gangotri Glaciated System 3. E-PBR Governance for the Indian Himalayan Region 4. Ramsar Wetlands of the Indian Himalayan Region